thinking is good....

Scent of a woman

2011-07-12T23:17:00.006+05:30

Paraphernalia. To me it means the most when it’s not around. At work, what could it possibly be? A desk, water bottle, notepad, computer, pen, postcard, photograph, certificate, bin and the list goes on. These are all physical, tangible items, by no means unnecessary, but what about things which don’t fall in the “tangible” category. Things which touched (not physically in this case) your life on a day-to-day basis! Take a moment, try recalling… doesn’t come that easily, right? Probably, your paraphernalia is still around you.

For me it’s the regular ice-cream guy who suddenly disappeared, a stray dog that was always sleeping in my backyard, who disappeared too, a pani-puri vendor who changed his base, a building that doesn’t exist anymore due to some property dispute, a security guard who was always drunk and eventually got fired, a drink buddy who quit for good (which is good), a chaiwalla who passed away (which is sad), a perfume that is completely out of production and so on… the whole point of writing this is that I miss two of my closest buddies a lot. One, who I know for almost a decade now and has moved to Kingdom of Bahrain for some reason and the other, whose Sweet Pea (Bath & Body Works) sanitizer I’ll miss the most. Sorry for all the philosophy above except “paraphernalia means the most when it’s not around”.

Lost and found

2011-06-20T23:27:00.004+05:30

Lost in confusion, you’re the sole controller of the mind and its actions. But why do you still feel restless, always questioning. Curiosity never leaves you. Sometimes it’s better not knowing, but poor curiosity hovers. Think about it, are we not constantly in search of something bigger, greater and unending. But it all ends in the end. And then the search begins, once again. Vicious! The game’s over, you keep telling yourself... but you also jump in, the moment there’s an opening. Because the child is hungry, and will never go to sleep. Well, let it never sleep. Discovery lies in searching, believing that the restless mind will always surprise you!

Unborn child of mine

2011-02-06T22:10:00.006+05:30

I imagined my world being perfect. Who doesn’t? It takes time to fix things that aren’t perfect. But what is PERFECT? In my opinion, it’s like an unborn child—conceived, not born. My child (unborn) wanted to be a different person. It didn't like the limelight, it wanted to be undercover. But what did I get—a world that didn’t work by my ways!

In my opinion again, my world will be perfect when I find that ‘someone’ who completes ME—helps me give birth to that unborn child. I think I've found that person. But my child is yet to be born!

know more

2011-02-02T23:32:00.001+05:30

A playwright, also known as a dramatist, is a person who writes dramatic literature or drama. These works are usually written to be performed in front of a live audience by actor.

The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder (as in a wheelwright or cartwright). Hence the prefix and the suffix combine to indicate someone who has wrought words, themes, and other elements into a dramatic form, someone who crafts plays. The homophone with write is in this case entirely coincidental.

Under The Mango Tree

2010-10-17T10:51:00.003+05:30

16th October 2010.. @Hampi with a friend from a decade ago.. A much awaited holiday to an even more awaited getaway! It feels like heaven when you skip the routine.. no ironing clothes, no skipping breakfast, no traffic, and no office.. Just a small town life away from the hustle bustle of a metro!

It's amazing to see what tranquility can do to you.. You are at peace with yourself - a perfect balance with nature. And that's how life should be..isn't it?
Hampi offers more to the mind than to the eye! And that's cause your mind is absorbing more than your eyes.. You think in simple ways, you learn to adjust to what's being offered.. materialism takes a back seat..

The need to look sharp and seem smart doesn't appeal to the aura surrounding our thoughts.. What our hearts yearn for is the slow entry of peace and calm into the crescents of city-life-being.. Hampi encouraged that craving and satisfied that like a crescendo peaking orgasm..

Sitting for breakfast at The Mango Tree, we do nothing but overlook the Tungabhadra river.. Our minds are free of any thought, our life is free of any stress.. Without trying, we meditate...

Are we human or are we dancer…

2010-07-31T20:54:00.004+05:30

My sign is vital, my hands are cold… wonder how sometimes lyrics of a song you stumble upon while your music player is on shuffle mode, make you think about something that’s totally unrelated. The first thing that caught my eye was the wrong grammar in the lyrics. Are we dancer or dancers? Grammatically, it should be dancers, isn’t it! The idea here is not to point a finger at the lyricist or anger the fans, but only to express that how sometimes our brain relates to the external factors so AMAZINGLY.

I love the song btw =), so ‘The Killers’ please don’t ‘kill’ me ;-)

Vrrooommm… a legendary ride!

2010-06-12T22:08:00.003+05:30

Duration: 6 days

Distance covered by road: 1700 kms

Height scaled: 13,000 feet

Mode of transport: 3 Enfield Bullets (one of them was a 1985 made) and a 7 year old Pulsar 150)

Starting point: Alipore, Kolkata

Start time and date: 4:30 AM, April 1, 2009

Number of travellers: 7

Route: Kolkata-Siliguri-Gangtok-Tsomgo lake-Nathula Pass (final destination)

Temperature range: 42⁰ C to 6⁰ C

Remarks by the co-bikers: “One hell of an experience”; “I want to have a house here” (this was on our way to Tsomgo lake)

These are some vital stats of a road trip that I undertook with a bunch of my college buddies. It was on April 1, 2009, our hearts full joy and josh; the Tricolor emblazoned on our beauties, our bikes, and we ventured out on the road less travelled. Had it not been for the prodding of one of our friends, who wanted to do something adventurous after our MBA, we would have not have had such a wonderful experience.

Sikkim is a land of flowers, greenery, God-fearing and peace loving people. This line hasn’t been picked up from any travelogue, but truly is a reflection of what I saw and felt about the place. It may be like any other tourist place, but for us, the road trip made all the difference.

Negotiating the narrow roads, which start after you cross Siliguri, is an absolutely exhilarating experience. At times it scares the hell out of you and at other times the all-pervasive beauty—the snow capped peaks, or partly frozen water body just takes your breath away.

We also discovered what Sikkim and the Bollywood have in common—Danny Denzongpa, the actor of yesteryears, of course. He has his own beer brewery in Malli (Sikkim). The brand of beer is called ‘Dansberg’ and is as good as Carlsberg =). Another thing that is popular in Sikkim is this beautifully crafted bottle of Old Monk rum, shaped like a laughing Buddha. It’s something really funky to take back home.

The whole idea of sharing this experience with you all is to urge you to take a moment off, and think about all those things you have always wanted to do. Recall the ‘bucket list’ you created long ago. How many of you have had that moment, when you strike out one ‘such’ thing off the list? Well, I have had one such moment and that’s when I say—it was a legendary ride!

Normal is boring!

2010-04-27T09:07:00.002+05:30

In the book ‘The HP Way’ by David Packard, innovation is reflected from the day Dave and Bill founded the company. Innovation played an important role in everything they did. In the way they managed business, employees, customer interests, as well as the manner in which the duo managed their work-life balance. One thing that caught my attention in the book was that, several years ago, Dave presented a medal to a deserving engineer, Chuck House. The citation read as “extraordinary contempt and defiance beyond the normal call of engineering duty”*.

To this young engineer’s (Chuck) mind the difference lay in the intent—the intent of doing something different. Innovation in all forms (big or small) distinguishes between the ordinary and the EXTRAordinary—the NOT so normalJ.

*For a detailed read, refer to page 108 in the book ‘The HP Way’ by David Packard

I don’t have a hood…

2010-02-25T23:10:00.010+05:30

Ever wanted to be a celeb? One who lives in a glamorous world… a world of sham or maybe a world that is just right for you... You become a part of it. Or rather it becomes a part of you. I shouldn't talk. I haven’t seen celebrity hood. But I feel like a celeb sometime in my own small world. These are not some random thoughts, it comes from the fact that I feel like it. I’ve a fan base, I feel appreciated, I feel recognized, I feel beautiful, I feel wanted, I envy, I dream... all of that stuff! But do I derive meaning from all of this? It’s hard to answer. I crave for sainthood. But I’m just human. I don’t want to make mistakes. I want to perfect the art of perfection. I want to be brave.

I want to shout and not hurt your ears. I want to move forward without leaving you behind. I want my feet on the ground and still fly. I want answers to my questions as well as to yours!

All roads lead to Spain and you

2010-01-26T10:17:00.007+05:30

When everything around you happens for a purpose… that’s when you think—‘I am meant to take this road’. It could be the road most travelled or the road less travelled.

I've been planning to go to Spain for two years now… but I am not sure if my road will take me there before 2010 ends. Of course I will have to fly next year if it doesn’t happen this year ;-)

The thought is how many of us are sure about the choices we make. We feel good, we repent... its all part of the game is how we console ourselves if the road doesn’t take us anywhere. Life’s been funny throughout. Innit? I mean good funny. We laugh about the things that caused us pain in the past; we'll laugh about things that are causing pain now. And that’s how it is. The rule should be to go with the flow ‘cause the flow is your road to somewhere… and you must get there before it’s too late.

I'm a misfit!

2010-01-08T12:24:00.009+05:30

I should have been born in the 70's. If i was born then, i would have so much more fun. I would be doing ganja, promiscuous sex and so much more. Basically, would be chilling more. I'm a misfit for this generation. It is the worst time in the world history. Music today is so crappy... you've to pay for ganja these days, and so you go to work!

Words of a wise friend. Maybe i haven't done justice to the thought. But loved the conversation—it inspired me to put this down.

a new song with every passing year!

2010-01-04T14:50:00.009+05:30

I used to wonder why old people propagate that they will always stay “young at heart” irrespective of their age. This new year I empathise. At 25, I feel that I am growing old. But I am young at heart :) and totally fine with saying so.

On the New Year’s Eve, I went to a party organized by one of my friend’s friend. Before I can talk more on that, here's a background. The friend is younger to me… like more than 2 years younger and the friend’s friend who organized the party is much younger to both of us. So now you know what I felt that evening. The good part was that there was decent music and some friends of the same age group. Little later the house was filled with smoke and the older ones were the first to get affected ;). The younger men (sorry, I mean boys) wouldn’t look at us—me and my older girl friends. Are we so old guys? No, Yes, Maybe. But don't you worry - you will always be young at heart. They said.

The daru and a bit of dancing was the savior there. But the after-party compensated for more than I expected. Got home at 7am on 1^st January 2010. What a way to start the new year I say. Happy Getting Older and Happy New Year to you.

The “sophisticated” eve teaser

2009-12-04T13:16:00.001+05:30

What are pick-up lines? Are they really meant to get someone in? Or is it something to do with challenges posed by friends? Or absolute CHEAP THRILLS? Are they really effective…? I don’t think so. How many successful cases are there? I got no clue.

Well I’ve not had too many experiences with pick up lines, but certainly have some instances to talk about…

One day I was walking to an auto rickshaw stand in Bangalore. I was dressed in the traditional salwar kameez, with the duppata wrapped around my head. Maybe my attire was not a treat to the eyes of a “road side Romeo”. But what the hell, this dude calls out –“Hella Auntie”. Mind you, not a hello instead a hellla—it was the perfect accent of a “sophisticated” eve teaser.

Here is another incident. I was once walking to buy some groceries, when suddenly I see this tiny 2-wheeler (TVS Luna) with two huge men who come by and politely say “Good Morning Madam”. For a moment, my instant reaction would have been to greet them back but then it struck me – this was a curious incident in the life of a “sophisticated” eve teaser.

This one is a classic. I recently heard this from a friend. It is the cheesiest, yuckiest, funnies and sideest pick up line I've heard in a long long time. It goes like – “hellla sweety, which colour panty” ;-). Clearly, this one has offended the “sophisticated” eve teaser.

Also check out some interesting pick up lines, “handpicked’’ from the wild wild west (www)

Be unique and different, just say yes.
I've just moved you to the top of my 'to do' list.
Baby, you're so sweet, you put Hershey's outta business.
Ever since I met you, you've lived in my heart without paying any rent.
Do you want to make millions? Millions of babies!
Sorry, but you owe me a drink. [Why?] Because when I looked at you, I dropped mine.
Did you fart, cause you blew me away. [This one is my personal favorite]

My take on Ayn Rand’s - The Fountainhead

2009-11-28T13:37:00.000+05:30

Many of my friends and some random avid readers I've met strongly recommended me - The Fountainhead. I mostly pick up a book on the basis of reviews and recommendations. This pick was also a result of one such recommendation.

But the timing was wrong. At least I think so. I was 18 when I borrowed this book form a friend. I couldn’t read it beyond ten pages (including the ‘Intoduction’ by Ayn Rand). I hated it, and gave it back to my friend immediately. I wondered why people around the world raved about the book. This was a passing thought. I forget about the book until now.

One day I was going through my limited collection of books and I found that I still have The Fountainhead. It was then, I realized that my friend had gifted it to me the very minute I went to return it. She said read it someday.

Today when I’m 24 years old and I feel the time is “right”, I decided to give Ayn another chance. And yes, I have successfully completed it.

Talking about 700 rich-pages, I don’t consider myself as an expert to comment on anyone’s writing style. But what I have to say about the book is that the characters are eccentric. All of them, starting with Howard Roark, Dominique, Peter Keating, Gail Wynand and Ellsworth Toohey. Most people, who have read this book, say that it is quite philosophical. I disagree. The author certainly is. We know that from the way she writes. But the story of The Fountainhead is not philosophical, not to me. It revolves around many unique characters and how they perceive life, happiness, fame and relationships. Their perception makes them eccentric. All these characters in the book are different purely because of their perception. And this is where many readers mix-up philosophy with perception.

Going back to the point of writing style being philosophical and not really the book, I am going to give you an example to make this clear. There is this line in the book that goes like –“It takes two to make every great career: the man who is great, and the man—almost rarer—who is great enough to see greatness and say so.” This is a beautiful way of saying something like - you alone didn’t make your career great, I played a part too. tadah! You see now the message is not philosophical but the way it's written makes it one. And I confess, at times I was mesmerized by Ayn’s writing style.

2009-09-08T11:19:00.000+05:30

‘We believe a mother's milk is best used for her child.' SEAN GREENWOOD, Ben & Jerry's spokesman, after PETA suggested the company use breast milk instead of cow's milk in its ice cream.

-Verbatim, TIME Magazine

Thursday, Oct. 02, 2008 issue

Impressions…

2009-08-05T12:15:00.001+05:30

I am not a very satisfied customer of Vodafone. Their network is horrible. Their toll free customer care number doesn’t work most of the times. Very few stores have competent staff and the number of random calls has only increased over the period. But guess what I paid extra bucks to get my old Hutch (now Vodafone) number (luckily it wasn’t taken by anyone else). Most of us just bear with these problems as it is a matter of convenience for us; after all it’s too much work to circulate the new number to everyone on the phonebook.

So come to think about it, in Vodafone‘s records I am a loyal customer – someone who asks for the old number and all you see – but I know it’s sheer laziness & if I was truly happy I would be writing good things about them. But today I came across this incident which makes me defend the same incompetent staff I spoke about earlier. This evening I had been to the Indiranagar Vodafone store to enquire about some new tariff plan. And I was made to wait for roughly 20 minutes. Then I saw this old gentleman who was looking for a handset at the store. The staff was really sweet to him and the same was reciprocated by the ol’ man. He said thank you to 3 different people (including the gatekeeper) before leaving the store. For sure this man truly had a “happy to help” experience.

Next came in, I should rather say barged in this hefty foreigner (firang), who pounced on the staff sitting at the help desk for some unsatisfactory service. Then the firang fumed and held the staff member’s collar. I was taken aback; everyone in the store was taken aback. This is when I almost intervened. But by then the Store Manager had arrived, but he too was timid and scared. I agree they all have been asked to treat the customer as their King. But come on let’s not forget our dignity. When do we learn to respect and treat people right. I was really angry about the firang’s behavior. It is unacceptable irrespective of what the problem was. In a firangi land you could be sued for such behavior but in our country we have taken a lot of things for granted. I wish I had intervened. But I did leave a word with the help desk staff. I hope next time he will have the courage to face similar situation differently.

some uncommon attachments..

2009-07-27T14:24:00.000+05:30

I know of people who get detached from things (living, non-living or both) in a matter of no time and there are others who just don't get over things, sometimes for life. I fall into the latter category. Attachment means different things to different people. Here is what it means to me…

Almost 9 years old now, outdated to the core is my bright red color Kinetic scooter. I’m very attached to it. I recently clicked a picture posing alongside my bike. Just in case something bad happens to it in the future. I am sure a lot us are attached to our first bike, our first car and so on. Let me share a few uncommon things I am dearly attached to.

I came to Bangalore 7 yrs ago to do my graduation. It was my dream to get into my college business team & participate in at inter-collegiate level. Being a fresher I was really lucky to be in the team and there I was attending St. Aloysius College Business meet. There I made my first ever PowerPoint presentation. And I’m really attached to it. Those days floppy disks were the in thing, and though now it is ol’ and rusty I hold it close to my heart. So I have that PPT on a floppy disk preserved with me till date. It is one of my most precious belongings.

Next is my family’s first house in Bangalore. A simple 3 BHK flat, overlooking the big playground of the colony. I am so attached to that place that sometimes I intentionally take the longer route because it passes through my old house. It always makes me feel happy.

Another thing that I want to keep forever is my helmet, picked it up for my first road trip ever. The one thing all the bikers had in common is the Indian flag sticker on all our helmets. It was hell of an experience & the helmet is the neeshani (souvenir) of the trip.

Then comes my first dictionary, it’s a small oxford pocket dictionary. It was my English teacher who had first taught me how to use a dictionary in class 6th. It is still there along with many other big fat dictionaries I bought over a period of time.
I still have my first ever song book. It is actually a hymn book. I learnt so many song/hymns from that small hard bound book back in boarding school. The smell of its pages takes me back to those good old school days.

One last thing, it is one of my hand bags, a flimsy, rough & tough, big brown bag. I bought it especially for my first Goa tour. Since then every time I go to Goa I carry that bag with me. It makes me look like a social worker/lakhek babu (a writer look) with my specs and the bag on :)

an unknown good change

2009-03-08T00:34:00.000+05:30

where is this all going... I don't think I am lost but I still think of what is happening. It just happens sometimes.. as in the thinking part! Well only sometimes because I am not bothered about this change and it kinda feels fine - atleast for the time being.

so what change am I talking about... it is a new sense of independence, the feeling to do things differently, to travel on a road less travelled, to make the best of the moment, to go places, to break the monotony, to care more about what I really like to do, to dream less and act more, to get detached form the worldly affairs, to meet new folks, to worry less, to plan less.

I am sure when anyone reads this, will think that I am way ahead of myself... I think so too :) but let's face it. So, what comprise of this "new sense of independence" - am I not independent enough? or am I looking for something more? This feeling of doing things differently comes from the fact that:
- I need to perfect the art of motor biking
- learn to play the guitar
- join a theatre group
- go on a trip alone
- get a dog
- come on TV
- make great ads someday
- go for a girl’s night out... it's been long!
- go para gliding
- skinny dipping ;-)
- climb some mountains
- I want to meet new people
- orgainse a reunion with my high school friends
- attend a live FIFA world cup match
- make a difference to this world (I mean it)
- date with Joe or Barney (from F.R.I.E.N.D.S / How I met your mother).. I knw it sounds crazy!

Life can get monotonous, everything seems mundane, but you break it by looking at it differently. For instance, I have fallen in love with Kolkata all of a sudden.. a place I was never too fond of. But what the hell, I have been here for the last 2 years, I will get attached right? Maybe it is about realising the value of something and that shapes up into some form of "change".

What will go wrong if I dont plan? when I stop planning... I m at peace, this is not me, but it is a "change" that doesn't bother me.

The list is not exhaustive.. all I am trying say is that we all encounter change, sometimes good sometimes bad, some big some small. All I know is that it is good to embrace it and move on. I just hope this change is a good one - for me and all those people who matter to me.

search

2009-01-25T20:27:00.002+05:30

when the road gets narrow
the dream becomes distant
individuality looses its charm
i see myself

i am singing
the song of freedom
a song that belongs to another world

i say no to change
no to the unwanted

i wonder
wonder why NO
i wonder where this is going

i am on a road to find myself
on a narrow road

2009-01-25T20:09:00.000+05:30

on the recent blasts in india...

2008-07-30T11:58:00.000+05:30

i am the kind of person who gets affected by the polictial, socio-economic conditions of my country.. even if it doesn't directly affect me... and i don't do much about it... but now i want to...
so through my blog i just want to spread the word... people we need to vote.. if you don't have a voters id.. get one.. but we need to vote for the govt that will do justice to our nation... the literate lot of the nation does not vote.. its proven .. thru various surveys... n all these political parties try to woo the ones who vote on the basis of false promises made to them by these parties... in other words mostly the illiterate lot... lets start voting guys.. i am also in the process of getting a voters id... after all good work starts at home :) hehe ..

remote controlled life..

2008-07-21T15:50:00.000+05:30

this morning while having my breakfast i switched on the TV... and the moment i held the remote, i realise that my TV is now ten years old and the original remote left us some 8 yrs back and since then we are remoteless... we recently got a universal remote and now we flip over more channels, more fights amongst my siblings, putting on weight, leave the main switch on... sheesh.. what a remote controlled life we all got!!

peecoes... bangalore

2008-07-19T19:14:00.000+05:30

so how many of you are from bangalore... n how many know about the pub called peecoes... recently it got make over... fancy bright main board, nice menu design (wooden) etc. etc., mostly sponsored by Kingfisher... its a fantastic place that serves great draught beer... with awesome combo meals like... chicken/beef/pork curry with dosa....yummy.. so all those who have not been there... do checkt it out...

uploaded pictures...

2008-07-19T19:03:00.000+05:30

hey ... the pics on my blog are quite old.. clicked from my N70 - 2 MP camera phone... i love to click pictures... at random... i dream to own an SLR camera one day... people visiting my blog... pls comment on the pics... you are most welcome to be critical...